49ers beat Saints in OT thriller 27-24

NEW ORLEANS - Colin Kaepernick completed a 51-yard pass on fourth down to sustain a game-tying drive, Ahmad Brooks sacked and stripped Drew Brees in overtime, and Phil Dawson kicked a 35-yard field goal to cap San Francisco's stirring 27-24 victory over New Orleans on Sunday.

The victory snapped a two-game skid for the Niners (5-4) and marked the first home loss for the Saints (4-5) in more than a season.

Brooks' decisive blow on a sack of Brees had to feel like poetic justice to the Niners' linebacker. His unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on a vicious sack and strip in the Superdome a year ago allowed the Saints to pull out a late comeback victory in these teams' previous meeting.

Brees was intercepted twice, but also passed for three scores, the last to Jimmy Graham to give the Saints a 24-21 lead with 1:52 left in regulation.